Tank car unloading apparatus



May 15, 1951 c. A. L Ewls mig; CAR uNLoADIN' APPARATUS 2 Sh-ts-sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1948l My 15, 1951-- c. A. www '25552.986: 'rANK vmm vNLoADniG APPARATUSK; Enga March 24, 1948.3; 2 shgegshet z -l IN V EN TOR.

BY//WV @M ATTORNEY Patented May 15, 1951 T OFFICE TANK can UNLoADINo APPARATUS Chester A. Lewis, Cleveland, Chio, assigner to C. A. Lewis, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 24, 1948, Serial N0. 16,852

e claims. (ci. zzz- 567) This invention relates to devices and apparatus for making conduit connection with the discharge outlet of a tank, tank car, or the like, to withdraw or unload, and conduct away liquid contents from the tank.

The invention may be used to advantage with tanks in various art; but its advantages are most completely developed when it is used with railway tank cars and other tank vehicles. For this reason, I have chosen to illustrate and describe the invention herein as applied to a railway tank car.

Railway tank cars for transporting liquids although differing one from another in details, have some features in common. The tank proper has a short discharge outlet pipe lprojecting downwardly from its bottom, and a valve to open andV close the pipe; and as a further precaution against leakage, the pipe is provided with a sealing closure cap threaded on the end of the pipe. The valve is constructed to close the inner end of the discharge pipe and is therefore inside the tank; and the handle for operating it is inside a dome at the top of the tank and accessible only after removing the cover of the dome.

Before lling the tank at the loading station, the valve is closed and the cap screwed on. At its unloading station, the cap is unscrewed and removed; and an unloading conduit which may comprise a hose or the like to conduct the liquid contents away from the tank, is screwed on to the pipe in place of the cap; and the pipe valve is then opened to 4discharge the liquid contents through the unloading conduit.

The discharge pipe is of large diameter; and because of the round shape of the tank at the bottom, must be located under the tank andapproximately on its center line, that is, in the case of a railway tank car, not far from the ground and midway between the track rails. It is therefore inconvenient of access, and diiiicult to lift and screw onto it and unscrew from it a discharge hose connection of corresponding large size and weight.

Again, when a tank car has been emptied at an unloading station, and goes back to its loading station to be nlled again, the cap may have already been replaced at the unloading station, or if not, will be replaced at the loading station because its absence can be visibly detected.

The valve is also supposed to be closed before relling begins, but in some instances this is neglected the valve is left open, the closure cap preventing leakage or making it so slight as not to indicate that the valve is not closed.

In other instances, the attendant may attempt to close the valve and believe that he has done so, but because of some obstructing material or object in the tank the valve may be held open.

When the tank ear in such case reaches its unloading destination again, and the operator takes on the closure cap, and the valve being open as stated, the contents of the tank rushes out, and makes it diiiicult and almost impossible for the operator to screw o n the unloading connection. This waste ilow can ultimately be stopped by closing the discharge pipe valve but in the meantime and because of the inaccessibility of the valve handle a considerable part of the tank contents is lost.

Again and sometimes of even greater importance, the contents of the tank may be of such nature as to be corrosive, or highly acid, or volatile, and the operator may be injured by the uncontrolled waste flow from the outlet pipe by its coming in contact with exposed parts of his body, or by his inhaling vapors from it, etc., and in such cases there is not only the matter of compensation for injury, but also because of the shock of unexpectedly being subjected to danger, the operators attention will'be directed to saving himself, and he will give no thought to closing the valve to stop the waste.

It is to prevent this inconvenience, waste, loss, and casualty liability, that the present invention has been made.

The invention comprises generally speaking, an apparatus mounted to run on ground wheels in the nature of a vehicle, and to be propelled by a handle. It comprises an unloading conduit, and a pressure-seal connection therefor which can be raised and lowered by manipulating the handle.

After removal of the closure cap from the tank discharge pipe, the vehicle can be moved by the handle to dispose the pressure-seal connection directly under the discharge pipe, and it can then be raised to seal the unloading conduit upon the discharge pipe, by depressing the handle. Thereafter the flow of the tank contents into the 'unloading conduit may be controlled by the .discharge pipe valve, or by a manual valve provided on the vehicle.

The objects of the invention are to provide a device or apparatus by the use of which the inconvenience, loss of time, loss of material, danger to workmen, etc. referred to hereinbefore may be avoided.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in this art, among which may be mentioned the provision of an improved conduit connection which will effect a sealed juncture with the end of a pipe such as the discharge pipe of a tank by raising it into pressure engagement with the end of the pipe; and the provision of a vehicle or carriage mounting such connection so that it may be positioned for operation by movement of the vehicle as a whole by a propelling handle, and operated by lowering the handle.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a structure embodying the invention, showing in association therewith and in end elevation a part of a railway tank car;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 1, without the car and its associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with par-ts of the structure in different operative positions;

Fig. V4 isa fragmentary sectional view vfrom the plane 4--4 of Fig. 1.

(Referring to the drawing, Figs. l and .3, 'there is indicated in simplied form at l a railway tank car, comprising: a tank 2; .a frame 3, including a platform or plank cat-walk d, upon which attendants may vwalk around the tank; the whleels and undercarriage of the car having been omitted for simplication; but the car is vfurther identiiied by the showing of the track rails at 5--5.

From the underside of the tank 2 depends a discharge pipe 5. The valve controlling the pipe 6 is indicated in broken linesl at l and a stern .3, fragmentarily shown, connects 'the valve to :a handle at the top of the tank .as referred to above.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of the pipe 5 is closed by a sealing closure in the for-m of a lcap .9 threaded on to the end of the pipe.

`In general, this is the construction of the type of railway tank car with which the invention 'is adapted to be used, in unloading the vcontents of the tank through the discharge vpipe 't and conducting it away.

'The structure embodying the invention iis in the formof a vehicle comprising a pair of spaced apart ground wheels It-l', rotatable on an axle -I il, and supporting -a .frame shown generally at l2.

The frame I2, preferably, has two spaced apart side bars, of angle section steel, comprising lhorilzontal Afron-t end portions E13-l; fbody por-tions lli-M depending rearwardly therefrom, to and beyond the wheels [Q -lll; and there, as at I5 (Fig. 1) bent to incline upwardly rearwardly and also to converge inwardly, at portions IIS-lt,

meeting at parallel rear end portions ll- VL y welded together at I8.

'vlhe Wheel axle il is -mounted upon the Aframe portions I-IA in any suitable manner.

The frame I2 is braced by a transverse 'brace lf'B welded to and yconnecting the side portions lll-44, and by a brace 2l) welded to and connect- -in'g the iside portions IS--l 6.

-At the forward end of the frame, a plate 2i 'spans the vside Yportions lf3- i3 and is welded 'thereto (see particularly Fig. il), and serves as PaV frame brace,`butalso serves as a-base and guide forsupporting and guiding movements of a :pressure-seal connection to be described.

Attherearof the iframe, 'the side bar portions I1-f1 being of angle section and welded'together a't .confronting `flange -edges as shown at E38, prof'v'ide -a channel in which -one end of a -length of steel tube 22 is laid and welded as at 23, and constitutes a 'vehicle tongue, continuing Tin the direction-of vthe sidebar vportions I6-IB.

At the outer end of the tongue 22 is an elongated tubular handle shank 24, extending rearwardly and downwardly and terminating in a transverse handle 2'5.

To mount the handle shank 2li on the end of the tongue 22, a pair of parallel side plates 2S-26 are welded to the opposite sides of the tongue l22, and the handle shank 24 is placed between them and removable bolts 2'1-21 are projected through aligned holes in the side plates and shank.

The inside and outside diameters of the vehicle tongue 22 and of the handle shank 24 are preferably -sized so that the shank 24 after detaching it byI removing thebolts 21-21 can be telescoped into the tongue Aso as to take up less room when beingl transported or stored out of use.

A tool box 28 is mounted upon transverse anglen bars 2'9-30 joining the side bar portions IS-IS and Ill- I 4 respectively and these angle bars may also serve to furtherbrace .the frame.

At the forward end of thecarriage, ,an un-V loading conduit is provided comprising a short length of pipe 3|, extending upwardly througha perforation 32 in the aforesaid plate 2 l,-see Fig.. 4, and communicating at its upper end with the interior of a generally bowl-shaped upwardly open receptacle 33 the bottomtfl of lwhich is welded upon the upper end of the pipe '31.

Supported on the Vbowl bottom pis a plurality of washer-like annularV rubber sealing gaskets 35-35 in a tier, surrounding the open end-of the pipe 3l and held concentrictherewith fby fitting at their outer peripheries the inner wall of the receptacle bowl 13.3.

Below the plate 21|,the pipe 3l is connected .to a valve 36 having an operating handle 31 and below .the valve 36 is a pipe elbow x38 connected to a generally horizontal pipe 39, which at itsV outer end is threaded as Vat 40 to receive the coupling of a hose. f

The receptacle 33, pipe 3l, valve SE, elbow 38, and :pipe 39 are all assembled together as ;a unit, and a spring 4:4, reacting aty its opposite ends upon the underside of the bowl receptacle 33 and upon the upper side of the plate 2l and surrounding the pipe 3l, yieldingly supports the unitary assembly on the plate 2|.

The pipe '3i is positioned by the perforation 32 in the plate '2l through which iit extends, and is at a predetermined distance forwardly from the wheels Alill-Hl to .be referred to. The perforation`32 is 'larger than the 1pipe '3l so that the pipe 3l and the vother parts assembled with it can rock .or oscillate on the .plate 21| supporting them.

The whole assembly can also rotate in the `perforation S32, and the pipe 39 is preferably of .such `length that it can be rotated rearwardly and lie under the carriage frame portions 14-14 forwardly of Athe wheels lU-l'll during transportation lor for Astorage when not in use.

'The Aopening at the upper end of the pipe '3i and through the center holes of the annular Xgaskets into the receptacle 33 is Ysmaller than the opening lat the lower end of the discharge @pipe 6 lon the Acar as commonly provided.

ln the operation of the device above -described, it is assumed that the loaded tank car arriving at an unloading station has the sealing cap 9 1in place and the valve '1 closed.

The operator propels the vehicle to the vicinity the frame `portions vIll-I4 so 'that it projects forwardly from the vehicle, and pushes the forward end of the vehicle under the car tank to place the receptacle 33 approximately at the center line of the car and near the tank discharge pipe 6; and this position can be gaged by constructing the vehicle so thatthe distance from the wheels |-l0 to the perforation 32 in the plate 2| as referred to is slightly greater than one-half the distance between the rails 5-5, and by moving the wheels up into engagement with one of the rails. The operator can then release the handle and this allows the parts forwardly of the wheels |0|0 to rock downwardly until the pipe 39, rests upon the opposite rail 5, and allows the handle to rise.

This disposes the parts generally as shown in Fig. 3. A hose can now be coupled to the end of the pipe 39 as referred to.

The cap 9 is now removed from the discharge pipe 6, and the vehicle is maneuvered by the handle 24-25 to bring the receptacle 33 directly under the end of the discharge pipe 6; and then the handle 24-25 is depressed, raising the plate 2| and the assembly thereon. This causes the end of the pipe 6 to enter the receptacle, the side wall of the receptacle being flared outwardly as shown to guide the pipe 6 into it; and causes the gaskets 35-35 to be pressed into engagement with the end of the pipe 6 and compresses the spring 4| to effect a pressure seal; the parts then taking up the position shown in Fig. 1. Y

The valve 36 at this time may be closed. The valve 1 is now opened and when it is observed that the spring pressure and rubber gaskets have made a leakproof seal at the end of the pipe 6,

the Valve 36 is opened and the tankV contents iow 'from the tank through the pipes 3| and 39 and through the said hose (not shown) at a rate which can be controlled either by the valve 1 or the valve 36.

Provision is made to hold the handle 24-25 in the depressed position, against the reaction of the spring 4| tending to rock the carriage and raise the handle, to relieve the operator for other work, as shown in Fig, 1.

A U-shaped sheet metal clip 42 is made to slip over the edge of the catwalk plank or like platform 4; a depending ratchet bar 43 is loosely hinged to the underside thereof as at 44; and the bar 43 is provided with a series of ratchet teeth 46, on its forward side preferably inclined downwardly forwardly.

The aforesaid angle iron brace 2-0 has one of its flanges 41 upwardly rearwardly inclined; and the brace 20 is so disposed on the frame that when the wheels lIll- I0 are in their working position (which as mentioned is approximately in engagement with one ofthe rails 5 as shown in Fig. 1), the ratchet bar 43 will rest by gravity against the brace ange 41.

As the handle 24-25 is depressed lowering the brace 20, the edge of the flange 41 ratchets over the teeth 46. Upon releasing the handle, the carriage tends to be rocked in the reverse direction on the wheels lll-I0 by the reaction of the spring 4| and this projects the flange 41 under the nearest ratchet tooth 46 and the carriage is thereby stopped against further rocking by the ratchet bar 43.

To mount the ratchet bar 43 as described, a preferred way is to first insert the lower end of the bar through the frame rearwardly of the brace 29, and then put the clip 42 in place.

When the tank, ready to be unloaded, has

the sealing cap 9 in place, but the va1ve1 accidentally open, the tank contents will ow out of the pipe 6 immediately when the cap is removed, and be wasted with the loss and hazard mentioned hereinbefore.

However, at this time, as described above, the vehicle has already been positioned as shown in Fig. 3, with the receptacle 33 adjacent to the discharge pipe 6, and in such event the handle 24-25 can be manipulated to quickly swing the receptacle under the pipe 6 and then raise it to seal off the end of the pipe 6 as described and stop the flow, placing it under control of the valve 36 of the device.

The vehicle as illustrated may be variously changed and modified as to the exact details of its construction, as will occur to those skilled in the art; and the invention comprehends all such changes and modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims.V

I claim:

' 1. In a device for sealingly connecting an unloading conduit to the depending discharge pipe of a tank car or the like; a vehicle comprising a vehicle frame supported on wheels on `a trans- Verse axis and comprising frame portions forwardly and rearwardly of the axis; unloading conduit means comprising a generally upright upwardly open conduit mounted on the forward portion of the frame for limited downward yielding movement, by spring means reacting thereon and on the frame; gasket means surrounding the open upper end of the conduit and means supporting the gasket means in sealing relation to the conduit upper end; the conduit having a lateral extension below its upper end; the forward frame portion being rockable upwardly around the wheel axis to elevate the conduit and yieldingly press the gasket means into sealing engagement with the end of the car discharge pipe upon depression of the rearward portion of the frame.

2. In a device for sealingly connecting an unloading conduit to the depending discharge pipe of a tank car or the like; a vehicle comprising a vehicle frame supported on wheels on a, transverse axis and comprising frame portions forwardly and rearwardly of the axis; unloading conduit means comprising a, generally upright upwardly open conduit mounted on the forward portion of the frame for limited universal movement relative thereto and supported thereon for downward yielding movement, by spring means reacting thereon and on the frame; gasket means surrounding the open upper end of the conduit and means supporting the gasket means in sealing relation to the conduit upper end; the conduit having a lateral extension below its upper end; handle means on the rearward portion of the vehicle frame for propelling the vehicle for maneuvering it on its Wheels, to dispose the conduit and gasket means under the car discharge pipe; the forward frame portion being rockable upwardly around the wheel axis to elevate the conduit and yielding press the gasket means into sealing engagement with the end of the car discharge pipe upon depression of the rearward portion of the frame.

3. In a device for sealingly connecting an unloading conduit to the depending discharge pipe of a tank car or the like; a vehicle comprising a vehicle frame supported on wheels on a transverse axis and comprising frame portions forwardly and rearwardly of the axis; unloading conduit means comprising a generally upright upwardly open conduit mounted on the forward portion yoftheaframe iorlirnited downward-yielding :frm-vement:l by -spring means reacting thereon 4andon1t-he iframe; gasket -gmeans surrounding the -open 1 .upper .-en'd ofv fthe .zconduit vand means supporting the gasket meansfin sealing relation rtof'thefconduit upper'end; the conduithaving a latenalextension below its upper end; gthe forward frame .portion vbeing frockable upwardly around the wheel axiszto .elevate the,= conduit and yieldingly press'the :gasket means -into sealing engagement :with the end of the car discharge pipe upon .depression of ;the lrearward portion of the frame; andstrut means associated with the vehicle and with a portionofithe-car above the :rearward iramerportion ILto retain the same depressed.'

v`et. A'In Va .device .for sealingly connecting `anunloading i conduit to the depending discharge pipe 'of -a tanklcar orthe like; a :vehicle v comprising a vehicleframesuppQrtedon wheels on a ltransverse axis and comprising frame portions forwardly and rearwardly of the axis; unloading conduit means comprising a generally upright upwardly open conduit mounted on the Vfforvvard portionof theframe for limited universaln move- -ment relative thereto and supported thereon-for downward yielding movement, 'by fspring -nreans -reacting thereon and on the frame; gasketmeans surrounding the open upper Vend of 'the conduit -and means supporting'the gasket means in seal- .ingrelation to the vcondpitupper end; thecon duit `having a lateral extension below its upper end; i'handle rmeans on `the rearward portion of 'the vehicle 'frame for propelling the vehicle for maneuvering it on itswheels, to dispose the conduit and gasket means under the car discharge pipe; the forward frame portion being rockable `upwardly around the wheel aXis to elevate `the conduit and yieldingly press the gasket means linto sealing engagement with the end of Ythecar discharge pipe-upon depression of the A'rearward portion rof the frame; and strut means associated 1with 'the vehicle and with a portion of the -car above the rearward frame portion to retain the lsame depressed.

5. Ina device ifor sealingly connecting an un- '.loading conduit to the :depending discharge pipe y.of attankfcar or the like; avehicle :comprising a vehicle frame supported on-wheels on a ytransverse axis and comprising frame portions forwardlyand rearwardly'of the axis; the 'forward :frame portion comprising a generally Ahorizontal :plate `element-provided with a perforation thereqin; av generally upright upwardlyopen conduit telescoped through the perforation and having l,on its upper open `end an enlargement; annular gasket -means surrounding `the conduit end opening and supported by the enlargement; a spring abutting upon the plate element and upon the enlargement and downwardly yieldinglysupporting the conduit; the perforation being larger than the A'conduit to allow limited universal movement of the conduit therein; a lateral conduit extension below theperforation; the frame being rockable on the Wheel axis upon depression of the rearward portion, to elevate the forward portion, to rst engage the gasket beams with the end of the car discharge pipe and ,then tension the spring and effect sealing engagement oi the gasket means with the enlargement and with the discharge pipe end. d

6. In a device for sealingly connecting an unloading conduit to the depending dicharge pipe o f .e tank Car 0r the like; a vehicle comprising a ALehicleft12emesupportedon,wheels onfa transverse .axis and ,comprising Lframe portions forwardly :and-rearwardly of :the aaxis; fitheforwardir-ame portion :comprising a generally ':horizon'tal Vplate elerlflent provided irwith 1a fperforation .therein a `generally :upright upwardly :open conduitwtele- :scopedtthrough the perforation and having on its uppenopen. end 1an.:enlargement :annular gasket means surrounding Athez .conduit :end opening :and

supported' by Athe,l enlargement; av spring abutting upon. theplate :element and `upon the enlargement :andldownwardly yieldingly isupporting :the .zeonduit; :theperforation :beinglarger than itherconduitf'to fallow. linlited universali movement of ith'e conduit therein; ala'teral conduit..v extension below` theperforation #thev frame being rockalole on lthe wheelv7 axis upon depression of the 1 rearward portion, to elevate the forward portion,'to'irsten gage-the gasket means with lthe end of "the-'car vdischarge pipe and then tension the 'spring and effect sealing engagement lo'f vthe vgasket `means with thefenlargementfand withf the discharge pipe end, a strut velement Yand meansfor 'attaching it -to the carto depend therefrom; vmutually en- 'ga'geableprojection and recessmeans onthe` strut element and on the/'rearward frame portionfor holding thelaterfin depressed position.

7. 'In a devicefor'sealingly connecting'an unloading conduit toithe v`depending discharge pipe of a tank car or theglike; a :vehicle :comprising a vehicle frame vsupported yonvvheels on a transverse axisand comprising frame j portionsjforwardly. and vrearwardly ofthe axis; the 'forward frameportion comprising agenerally horizontal plate element provided with a perforation therein; a l.generally Aupright upwardly open `conduit telescoped through the perforation and sealingly connected `to. 'thebottom otagbowl shaped .receptacle and openinginto Litsinterior; compressible yieldable annular gasket material .in thebowl on its bottom surrounding the conduit communicating `openirlg; 4.a coiled ,compression Aspring surrounding the conduit and abutting :at its `ends upon the plate lelement and bowl bottom, and supporting the conduit; vthe perforation 'being largerthan the conduit toallow limited universal rockingmovementof theconduit; alateral conduit extension :and ,a .conduit .controlling valve below -the plate element; the frame zbeing .rockable .0n Ythe ,Wheel axis upon .depression of the rearward .portion .to elevatethe forward portion to first engage the gasketmaterial with the end of -.the discharge pipe, yand then compress the spring -.and Aeffeetsealing engagement oi' the fgasket material -with v'the pipe end and with the 'bowl bottom.

f8.. VIn -a tdevice for fsea'lingly connecting l an -unloading lconduit -to the depending discharge pipe of sa -tank ca-r or the like; -a vehicle comprising a vehicle frame supported onwheels on a 'transverse .axis and .comprising frame portions Vforwardly and rearwardly of lthe axis; `vthe forward 4frame portion comprising va generally horizontal plate lelement provided with a perforation therein; a' generally upright upwardly open conduit telescoped through the jperforation and sealingly connected to lthe bottom of Ya Vbowl shaped receptacle and opening into its interior; compressible yieldable annular gasket material lin the bowl on its `bottom .surounding the conduit communicating copening; a coiled A.compression spring :surrounding the conduit and abutting at its ends upon @the Yplate element and Ibowl bottom, :and

supporting the conduit; the perforation being larger than the conduit to allow limited universal rocking movement of the conduit; a lateral conduit extension and a conduit controlling valve below the plate element; the frame being rockable on the wheel axis upon depression of the rearward portion to elevate the forward portion to rst engage the gasket material with the end of the discharge pipe, and then compress the spring and effect sealing engagement of the gasket material with the pipe end and with the bowl bottom; an elongated depending strut element, and a quick detachable device for hingingly connecting an upper end portion thereof to a portion of the car above the rearward portion of the vehicle frame; and mutually engageable projection and recess means on the strut element and frame rear- Ward portions for holding the latter depressed.

9. In a device for sealingly connecting an unloading conduit to the depending discharge pipe of a tank car or the like; a vehicle comprising a vehicle frame supported on Wheels on a trans- CHESTER A. LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,582,758 Jones Apr. 2'7, 1926 1,606,342 Bruce Nov. 9, 1926 1,661,498 Peck Mar. 6, 1928 2,160,041 Sooter May 30, 1939 2,190,726 McKenna Feb. 20, 1940 2,393,932

Petroe Jan. 29, 1946 

